


A Moment's Notice

by eatsdeath



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:40:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23340076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eatsdeath/pseuds/eatsdeath
Summary: Halloween has always been loud for Regulus. Growing up in Grimmauld Place in muggle London with trick or treaters up and down the street, he'd used to sit with his window open to listen, especially after Sirius had gone to school. At Hogwarts, there’d been feasts and sweets and parties.Or the one where Regulus just wants a calm Halloween for once.
Relationships: Regulus Black & Sirius Black
Comments: 3
Kudos: 26
Collections: Regulus Black Fest 2020





	A Moment's Notice

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Atlanta_Black](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Atlanta_Black/gifts).



> So this is a hot mess that I wrote in like a couple of hours that feel like a fever dream. I had/have so many ideas where this could go but a) ran out of time and energy and b) my ability to write coherently just died in the middle. 
> 
> My dear Atlanta_Black, this is only about half of the prompt you asked for and I apologize very much.
> 
> (I may come back to this and try to make it better after the fest is over but who knows.)

Halloween has always been loud for Regulus. Growing up in Grimmauld Place in muggle London with trick or treaters up and down the street, he'd used to sit with his window open to listen, especially after Sirius had gone to school. At Hogwarts, there’d been feasts and sweets and parties.

This year is his third Halloween out of Hogwarts - the first marred with death and blood in his service to the dark lord. The second Halloween - Halloween of 1980 - he’d been right where he is this year. Locked away, protected, in an Order of the Phoenix safe house. A place he’d never imagined he'd end up, right after Gryffindor tower. But here he is. All because his dear house elf had disobeyed his orders. Orders to leave him in the Dark Lord’s cave with the inferi and poison. Instead Kreacher had fetched his estranged older brother and, wonder of wonders, Sirius had come for him, had saved his life. He’d believed him when Regulus told him he didn't want to serve the Dark Lord anymore even as he’d ranted insanities and horrors until Madam Pomfrey had flushed the poison from his system.

The second Halloween had been marred by the stress that the Potter’s were going into hiding. For their safety under threat of the Dark Lord. Their newborn son, Sirius’ godson, one of two babies possibly prophesied to be the downfall of the Dark Lord. Regulus doesn’t know, even now, if he believes it. A mere halfblood babe? To defeat the most powerful wizard Regulus has seen?

The missing Black heir shakes his head as his thoughts turn to his brother’s nephew. The Potter boy is fifteen months old today. Sirius had gone off to trick or treat Godric's Hollow with him - extra protection, just in case. Regulus doesn’t agree. They’re supposed to be in hiding just as he is. Not allowed to leave this house but he knows Sirius has had a relief of stress; his brother has been lighter in his letters this week. Regulus doesn’t know why but he doesn’t dwell on it either; he’s just relieved himself that his relationship with Sirius is better than it’s been in a decade or so.

Regulus doesn’t expect that he’ll see his brother tonight, maybe not for another week. Visits are few and far between as he sits, kept away from both the Dark who believe him a traitor and the Light who don’t know he’s turned his back on everything his mother pushed him towards. There’s nothing stopping him from staying up reading by the fire and sipping on some Order provided wine. 

He’s a sleepy level of tipsy when the front door slams open and Regulus is up, wand drawn, before he comprehends what’s happening. Sirius is shouting something holding a bundle of squalling, screaming something and Regulus is either too drunk or not drunk enough for this. His brother - impatient Gryffindor that he is - doesn’t wait for him to catch up either. Sirius stalks forward and grabs him by the arm, giving him a shake before dragging him towards the door,

“They’re dead, Reg. They’re all dead. We have to go and we have to go now.”


End file.
